Because of You
by Yukiko2
Summary: Bankotsu, your average popular high school student that's an assassin by night. He's just moved to a new city and is starting at a new high school with Jakotsu. Will this school be any different than the others with girls throwing themselves at him?
1. Starting Anew

Summary: Bankotsu, your average popular high school student, right? Wrong, he's also the leader of a family of assassins. He's just moved to a new city and is starting at a new high school with Jakotsu, but will this school be any different than the others with girls throwing themselves at him? Or, for the first time ever, will he be the one chasing after someone that makes him smile or his heart pound at the sight of her?

Author's Note: This is my first Bankotsu/Kagome fic, so please let me know what you think. But please don't be too incredibly harsh.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha. 

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Bankotsu sat silently in his room, holding his precious Banryuu. Him and his brothers had just moved to a new school in order to hide. To everyone in the schools he had been at, he was the most popular boy there, but what they didn't know was that he was from a family of assassins. He was the youngest, but the head of that family. He lived with his brothers, Suikotsu, Renkotsu, Kyoukotsu, Genkotsu, Mukotsu, and his best friend and brother, Jakotsu. Out of the seven of them, he and Jakotsu were the only ones left going to school. Suikotsu was a businessman and Renkotsu was a private investigator, Kyoukotsu and Genkotsu were both lazy and didn't have jobs, and Mukotsu made poisons to sell on the black market.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he stated and the door flew open to reveal his brother, Jakotsu. He was always so happy and cheerful.

"Big Brother! We got our schedules!" Jakotsu said happily throwing the envelope to him. Bankotsu caught the envelope and opened it. Inside was information he needed for the next day, like his class schedule, locker number and combination.

"Isn't this great, Big Brother? We get to start at a new school again and you can become the most popular guy there!" Jakotsu cheered.

Bankotsu groaned. He hated being popular especially with all of the goofy high school girls. They annoyed him. There were times at his last school where it got so annoying that he almost killed a few of them.

"Jakotsu, what's the purpose of us going to school anyway? We make a decent living as it is with our jobs," Bankotsu asked.

"Remember? Suikotsu said that we needed to keep a low profile. We're both of schooling age so we need to act like others our age," Jakotsu reminded. Bankotsu groaned and picked up a rag to polish his Banryuu. "Bankotsu… Don't worry so much about the girls. Worry about remaining undercover."

Bankotsu nodded and Jakotsu left the room, leaving Bankotsu alone to get some needed rest.

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Kagome ate breakfast as quickly as she possibly could before she heard the car horn in front of the house. "Kagome! Sesshomaru is here to pick you up!" her mother called from near the front door.

Kagome stopped eating and grabbed her book bag, running to the front door. "Bye, Mom! Have a good day!" Kagome said as she passed her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She darted out the front door and saw her best friend, Sesshomaru, sitting in his black camaro with the top down. He had long silver hair and wore incredibly sexy sunglasses. She jumped in the car and smiled at him. "Hey!"

"Hey yourself," He stated in a cold tone. It was his trademark. He was one of the two most popular guys in school. Everyone wanted him, but stayed away because he was also the coldest person in school. The only person he treated nicely was Kagome and her friends. He didn't even treat his half-brother nearly as well as he treated her. Every girl in school was jealous of her for it. They had grown up together and she had worked his way into his frozen heart, slowly warming it up a bit. In fact, she was the only one to ever see him smile.

They drove down the street, listening to Kagome's choice of music. When they pulled up to the school, they saw two unfamiliar faces entering the gates. Sesshomaru caught sight of one and immediately sped up. "That one guy looks quite gay," Sesshomaru stated.

"So what if he is?" Kagome asked.

"He would just make things interesting," Sesshomaru said flatly.

"Sesshomaru, I'm sure he's a nice guy," Kagome told him.

"You're just too nice," Sesshomaru said as he parked the car in his spot and got out of the car. Kagome followed him into the school and was escorted to her locker, where they met up with a few of her friends, including Sesshomaru's younger half-brother, Inu Yasha.

"You bastard! You left without me!" Inu Yasha shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the halls.

"You would've made me late picking up Kagome. If you're not on time, then you can find your own way to get here, you stupid half-breed," Sesshomaru told him.

Inu Yasha growled angrily and was about to pounce on him, when Kagome's voice stopped him. "Inu Yasha, don't fight here in the halls. You don't want to get another detention, do you? It would be the fifth one this week," Kagome sighed as she closed the door to her locker and turned to her other friends. "Hey Sango. How's Kohaku doing?"

"He's doing better. The doctor said he should get his memory back soon. At least that's what we're hoping," Sango said. Her brother was recently in an accident and lost his memory. Sango had been torn up about it for weeks, but was becoming much more cheerful now that he's starting to recover.

Miroku, the black-haired young man with a small ponytail, draped his arm over Sango's shoulder and smiled. "Shall we all get to class before the bell rings and we get a detention from Yamamoto-sensei?" Miroku asked.

The others agreed and started towards their homerooms. Sango and Inu Yasha were in separate homerooms than Miroku, Kagome and Sesshomaru so they headed down different ends of the hallway. When Kagome got there, she realized she forgot a binder in her locker, which was vital to that class. She sighed and shook her head.

"What's wrong, Kagome-chan?" Miroku asked, noticing the look on her face.

"I forgot my binder. I gotta run back to my locker," Kagome said as she turned and darted out of the room.

"HURRY BACK!" he called after her, but she was already to far away to hear him.

Kagome darted down the hall as quickly as she could, skidding to a halt at her locker. She opened the locker, grabbing the binder and slamming it shut. However, when she slammed it shut, she accidentally slammed her finger the door, causing it to bounce and not shut. "OW!" Kagome exclaimed as she dropped her binder and getting papers everywhere.

"Whoa, are you ok?" someone said from behind her.

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Kagome's a tad bit clutzy in this... hehehe...(sorry Kagome fans if you find that offensive)

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully i won't get writer's block with this one, because i've really enjoyed writing it so far. Stay tuned for the next chapter.


	2. Lunchtime

Author's Note: First of all, thank you all for all of the great reviews. I'm so happy you all enjoyed the first chapter. Now for the second half of this statement. I'm not sure how much i like this chapter. I feel like it is necessary, but there's nothing really great about it. Hopefully i can make it all up to you with the third chapter. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. There is a chance that i will be rewriting this chapter. But anyway, continue to R&R!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha.

Last time:

Kagome darted down the hall as quickly as she could, skidding to a halt at her locker. She opened the locker, grabbing the binder and slamming it shut. However, when she slammed it shut, she accidentally slammed her finger the door, causing it to bounce and not shut. "OW!" Kagome exclaimed as she dropped her binder and getting papers everywhere.

"Whoa, are you ok?" someone said from behind her.

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Chapter 2: Lunchtime

Kagome turned around to see a young man with deep blue eyes and long, braided black hair standing behind her. Before she could answer though, he was down on his knees picking up her papers.

"Oh! No, you don't have to do that," Kagome said kneeling down to start picking everything up, but he stopped her.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, you should probably go to the nurse's office to get some ice," he said as he finished stacking all of the lose papers on top of her binder.

"No, it'll be ok. I just need to get to class," Kagome told him.

"Are you sure? I can walk you there if you want, even though I don't exactly know where it is," the young man told her.

"Hai. I'm sure," Kagome said. The man smiled and nodded, handing her things to her and watching her hurrying back to class. "Thanks!"

Just then, snuck up behind him and shouted in the unsuspecting man's ear, "BANKOTSU!" The young man jumped and whirled around to see his older brother standing behind him with a look of entertainment on his face.

"GEEZ, JAKOTSU! I told you not to do that to me," Bankotsu said as he rubbed his ears.

"Well it seemed like the perfect opportunity since you were so fascinated by a girl running to class," Jakotsu snickered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bankotsu spat. "Anyway, did you get the books?"

"Yeah!" Jakotsu said happily handing his younger brother a stack of textbooks.

"Good now let's go find our lockers and get to class," Bankotsu said and they walked off to find their lockers.

The lunch bell had rung and Kagome and Miroku watched as her whole class darted out of the room as quickly as possible. They had just finished Trigonometry class and everyone hated it. The teacher had a monotone voice and was so old that his skin was an unhealthy gray looking color. Miroku and Kagome walked out of class and headed for their lockers to pick up their lunches.

"I don't know why Suzuki-sensei hasn't retired yet. He already looks like a corpse," Miroku said.

"Eww…Miroku, we're going to be eating lunch soon," Kagome whined as the image of a walking corpse popped into her head.

"Ah, but we're not eating yet," Miroku laughed. Kagome rolled her eyes and grabbed her lunch from her locker. "C'mon. Let's go meet the others."

Kagome nodded and followed Miroku outside to the courtyard, where her and her friends ate lunch together, but as soon as they stepped out of the building, they heard Inu Yasha's voice echoing through the area. Kagome sighed and shook her head in annoyance. "What the hell is he yelling about now?" Kagome sighed as they approached their normal table. When they got there, they saw Inu Yasha yelling at the man Sesshomaru and Kagome had seen walking in through the front gates earlier that morning; the one that Sesshomaru had deemed 'quite gay.' Sitting next to the man Inu Yasha was arguing with, was the guy who had helped Kagome pick up her papers after smashing her finger in the locker door.

"THAT IS OUR TABLE, YOU BASTARD!" Inu Yasha shouted angrily as he pointed to the picnic table that the new kids were sitting at.

"I don't see your name on it," the gay man said sarcastically.

"WELL IT IS, BECAUSE WE SIT THERE EVERYDAY!" Inu Yasha shouted.

"Hmm…you're cute when you're angry," the gay men giggled.

Inu Yasha's eyes widened in horror. "Inu Yasha, stop yelling. You're giving me a headache," Kagome sighed as she rubbed her temples. "C'mon, Inu Yasha, let's just sit under the tree today. It's a nice day anyway and the grass isn't wet or anything."

"B-but…" Inu Yasha began.

"You can join us if you'd like," the man who helped Kagome said as he stood up and approached her. "Hello again. Is your finger feeling any better?"

"Yes, thank you. And we don't want to intrude," Kagome told him as she started towards the tree.

"No, please. There's enough room and this way all of the girls that have been chasing me won't have a place to sit, especially when they figure out that I'm not eating in the cafeteria where I told them I would be," the man pleaded, just as Sango and Sesshomaru stepped out to join them. Sesshomaru saw Kagome talking with the shorter of the two men and immediately tensed.

Kagome turned to the others and smiled. "Does anyone mind?" Kagome asked them.

The Sango, Miroku, and Inu Yasha shrugged and took a seat at the picnic table with Jakotsu, Inu Yasha sitting at the complete opposite end from the gay man. Sesshomaru , however, was the only one that seemed to have a concern about the two new students, and continued to stare at Kagome and the boy. _There's something about these two that doesn't fit. They seem like normal guys, but their eyes…they're hiding something. _

"By the way, my name is Bankotsu and this is my older brother, Jakotsu," the man introduced as he escorted Kagome to the picnic table next to him.

"My name is Kagome. And this is Miroku, Sango, Inu Yasha, and that's Sesshomaru," Kagome said pointing to Sesshomaru who continued to stand where Sango had left him. She smiled. "Come on, Sesshomaru. Have a seat! I have some onigiri for you."

Sesshomaru nodded and started towards the seat next to her. _Bankotsu and Jakotsu...I have my eye on you._

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Glossary:

Onigiri - Rice Balls (They are SO YUMMY!)


	3. Taking Care of Business

Author's Note: I reserve the right to edit or completely rewrite this chapter. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but it's going in the direction I want to go. Please R&R, even if it isn't a great chapter. I promise I will try to make it up to you…especially when this writer's block vanishes.

Chapter 3: Taking Care of Business

The bell rang informing all the students that lunch was over and everyone at the table put their lunches away. "I'm surprised that those girls didn't find us," Bankotsu said with relief.

"Oh, they knew you were out here, right, Sesshomaru?" Kagome said turning to her friend.

Sesshomaru nodded and pointed to the window revealing a group of girls plastering their faces to the glass. "The girls don't come out because they're scared of Sesshomaru, even though they find him very attractive and used to do the same thing to him as they are doing to you," Sango told them.

"I wish I had a group of girls following me," Miroku muttered.

"What class do you have next, Kagome?" Bankotsu asked.

"History with Miroku," Kagome said.

"Well, I don't know if I will be seeing you later today, but if I don't, we'll have to all have lunch again tomorrow," Bankotsu said with a smile.

Kagome nodded. "Hai. That sounds good. Have a good one!" Kagome said and ran off with her friends leaving Bankotsu with Jakotsu.

Jakotsu stared at his brother, who was staring at Kagome as she walked away, with surprise. "Bankotsu," he said snapping his brother out of his trance.

"What?" Bankotsu asked as he started towards his locker.

"You just met her," Jakotsu said.

"So…what's your point?" Bankotsu asked.

"You shouldn't exactly be thinking about dating her," Jakotsu stated, causing Bankotsu to freeze.

"Dating her? Who ever said I was thinking about her in that sense?" Bankotsu asked.

"Your eyes are giving you away, brother. For once, there is a girl that doesn't follow you around like a lovesick puppy, so she intrigues you," Jakotsu said as he opened his locker and pulled out his cell phone checking for messages.

"So what? That just means that I could possibly be friends with this one," Bankotsu said as Jakotsu put his phone back in his locker.

"Ha. Yeah right. Anyway…Suikotsu left me a message. We got a job tonight," Jakotsu told him.

"Great, my dear companion must be getting bored sitting at home," Bankotsu said and walked off to class. Jakotsu shook his head. _This is exactly why you shouldn't become friends with her, brother…_

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Bankotsu and his brothers stood outside a large white house silently. There was a single light on in one of the bedrooms and two figures playing around on the bed. "Gross!" Jakotsu said in disgust as he saw the silhouettes. "Let's get this over with, brother. Those two up there are making me sick."

"Jakotsu…not everyone can be gay so deal with it," Bankotsu said. "Genkotsu, let's go. You're going to hoist me up to the open window at the other end of the house…then we're going to have a little fun."

The brothers smiled and nodded. They watched as Genkotsu helped his younger brother climb into the window and waited until he came down and opened the door for the others. Jakotsu crept behind him and followed him to the room where the couple was. Suikotsu and the other brothers were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, just in case something went wrong.

Jakotsu turned to Bankotsu and smirked. "You got one and I got one?" he whispered. Bankotsu nodded and they opened the door.

Downstairs the brothers smirked as they heard the cries of pain and waited while Jakotsu and Bankotsu came striding down the stairs with smirks on their faces. Blood covered their weapons and there were spots on their clothes and faces. "Finished?" Renkotsu asked.

"Is there anyone else in this house who we're supposed to kill?" Bankotsu asked his eldest brother.

"No, a big house to just those two," Suikotsu said.

"Lucky bastards," Mukotsu muttered.

"Not so lucky anymore though," Jakotsu laughed. "What shall we do now, brother?"

"Go home and clean up while Suikotsu gets the rest of our payment," Bankotsu said and walked out of the house. His brothers followed him obediently and returned home.

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Kagome sat at her desk doing her homework when her cell phone rang. She picked it up and smiled when she saw who it was. "Hey! What's up?"

"Can you come over?" She heard Sesshomaru ask on the other end.

"Yeah, but my mom has the car."

"I'll come get you. Be there in 10 minutes."

Kagome closed her cell phone and grabbed her bag. She closed her books and headed downstairs. She quickly wrote a note to her mother and headed out the door just in time to see Sesshomaru pull up in his car. She got in and smiled, as he backed out of the driveway.

"So what brought this on tonight?" Kagome asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about that new kid, Bankotsu," Sesshomaru said.

"He seems nice," Kagome said as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru said, "I don't trust him. There's something he's hiding."

"Well yeah, Sesshomaru, we just met him and Jakotsu. Do you really expect him to spill out his whole life story the day we meet him?"

"No, but I don't get a good feeling from him," Sesshomaru said.

"What did Inu Yasha say about him?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I didn't ask him for his opinion. He's not a very good judge of character, especially after falling for that walking corpse, Kikyo," Sesshomaru stated as he pulled into his driveway.

"Sesshomaru, I think you're just paranoid," Kagome said with a smile as she walked up to his door and leaned against it. However, as Sesshomaru approached her, she saw the look in his eyes. He was dead serious and there was no look of paranoia in his amber orbs. "Sesshomaru…"

"Kagome, just promise me that you will be careful around him and his brother," Sesshomaru said with worry. Kagome nodded and he reached behind her and unlocked the door. Kagome felt his arm drape around her shoulder and he escorted her inside, but just as they stepped inside, someone stood before them.

"Sesshomaru, we have business to discuss," the old man in front of them stated.

"I do not have time for your business, father," Sesshomaru stated as Kagome stepped behind him. Sesshomaru's father wasn't exactly the most pleasant man on the face of the planet and even though she had known Sesshomaru for several years, she knew nothing about his father. She didn't even know what the man did, let alone why he scared her so much.

"Inu Yasha can entertain Kagome. We need to talk," his father demanded. "INU YASHA!"

Inu Yasha came running down the hall and stopped next to his father. "Y-yes?" He asked.

"Take Kagome into the TV room and entertain her," His father ordered.

"Uh…"

"No father, I brought Kagome here and I intend to stay with her and keep her company," Sesshomaru said through clenched teeth.

"Sesshomaru…" Kagome said softly. "I can hang out with Inu Yasha for a little bit. Your father obviously has something important to discuss with you."

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome and saw the fear in her eyes that his father always brought out. He sighed and nodded. "I'll be back as quickly as I can," Sesshomaru assured her.

Kagome nodded and walked off with Inu Yasha into the other room while he followed his father up to his office.


	4. Acceptance

Author's Notes: Thanks for all of the great reviews everyone! I'm really happy all of you enjoyed that chapter…even though I'm still not quite sure about it. But since so many of you did, I guess I'll leave it. Anyway today my computer class was cancelled so I actually had time to write this chapter. Let me know what you all think!

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Chapter Four: Acceptance

Sesshomaru stormed into his father's office after his father and slammed the door shut. "What the hell do you want this time!" Sesshomaru exclaimed slamming his fist on the desk sitting between him and his father.

"You should be thinking of your future, Sesshomaru. You should not be fooling around like a child," his father lectured. "That girl…she is beneath you."

"So was Izayoi when you married her!" Sesshomaru shouted. Sesshomaru's father jumped to his feet and grabbed his son by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen to me, Sesshomaru! I am the head of this household! You will do as I say! It's fine if she's with Inu Yasha, he is only my second son…but you…you are my first son and will represent this family whether you like it or not!" He said throwing Sesshomaru back in a chair.

Sesshomaru got to his feet and leaned onto the desk. "Whether you like it or not…I love Kagome with all of my heart and will protect her from you. It is our choice whether we get married, not yours!" Sesshomaru shouted in his father's face. His father raised his fist and connected it with the side of Sesshomaru's face, but Sesshomaru remained where he was. He did not flinch or look away, his eyes continued to meet his father's.

"And when are you going to tell her, Sesshomaru? Have you even told her that you love her or that you're a youkai, for that matter? Have you or your brother ever told her that you have youkai blood running through your veins?" His father asked. Sesshomaru's eyes said it all. He had never told her. In fact, he was scared to, but he knew that one day he and Inu Yasha would have to. The older man got up from his desk and walked over to the mini bar, pouring himself a drink. "I'll make you a deal, Sesshomaru. If you can tell her what you really are and she accepts you, then you have my permission to marry her. However, if she rejects you…you will do as I say, you will marry who I tell you to, you will take over the business, and so on. Got it?"

Sesshomaru nodded, but was uncertain about the deal. He had never discussed anything close to this with Kagome before, but they had been best friends since they were little... _Kagome…_

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Kagome sat down in the TV room with Inu Yasha silently. She had been thinking about Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha's father and the way he acted towards her. "I-Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked softly. Inu Yasha looked over at her and saw the stressed look on her face.

"What is it, Kagome?" Inu Yasha asked with concern.

"W-Why does your father dislike me so much?" Kagome asked curiously.

Inu Yasha sighed and looked away. "Father is just concerned about the business. Sesshomaru is supposed to take it over when he's old enough, but that was decided when Sesshomaru was an arrogant jerk. Now, I think father is afraid that since he's been hanging out with you, Sesshomaru will not want the job and will leave the family to do something that he would consider to be frivolous," Inu Yasha told her. "Don't worry though, Sesshomaru can handle him."

Just then, Sesshomaru entered the room and sat down next to Kagome. Her eyes widened when she saw the large bruise on his cheek. "Oh my god, Sesshomaru? What happened!" Kagome gasped. "Inu Yasha, can you go get me an ice pack and a cloth to wrap it in?"

Inu Yasha nodded and hurried to the kitchen. "I'm fine, Kagome. It's just a bruise," Sesshomaru told her.

"But it looks like it really hurts. Did your father do this?" Kagome asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I ran into father's bookcase when I was leaving his office," Sesshomaru lied and he could tell by the look on Kagome's face that she didn't buy it, but she knew well enough to just let it go. Just then, Inu Yasha returned with the ice pack wrapped in the cloth and handed it to Kagome. Kagome took it and pressed it to Sesshomaru's face. He flinched at the sudden feel of ice to his cheek, but he smiled at the look on her face. She was worried…for him, and it made him feel warm inside. He took the ice pack from her hand and continued to hold it on his cheek. He then pulled her into his lap and smiled down at her. "C'mon, let's just watch the tv."

Kagome smiled back up at him and nodded while Inu Yasha turned up the volume from the other end of the couch.

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Bankotsu sat at his desk doing homework when there was a knock at the door. "It's open," He called without looking up from his homework. The door opened and Suikotsu walked in.

"Brother, I've got the pay from today," Suikotsu said setting the briefcase of money on Bankotsu's bed and opening it. Bankotsu finished what he was doing and turned around to see the stacks of money sitting in the container. His face lit up and he walked over to his brother.

"Ah…money. It's so beautiful," Bankotsu said as he picked up a stack and looked at it.

"We were also given a new job, Bankotsu," Suikotsu said pulling out a file from the top half of the briefcase. He handed it to his younger brother and watched him read it. "We have one week to respond and then a month to carry out the job."

Bankotsu looked up at his brother with a confused look on his face. "Who the hell is our dear business partner, Suikotsu?" Bankotsu asked.

Suikotsu shrugged. "He's some business man…that's all I know," Suikotsu said.

"Do you at least know his name?" Bankotsu asked.

"I believe it was Naraku," Suikotsu answered. "Why?"

"This girl is a miko…" Bankotsu told him, as he showed his older brother the file. In it, there was a picture of a young girl about the same age as Suikotsu dressed in miko-attire. But that wasn't what concerned him the most.

"So? What's the problem with her being a miko?" Suikotsu asked.

"N-nothing… Where's Jak?" Bankotsu asked as he closed the file.

"Down in his room," Suikotsu said and watched his brother walk out. He had never seen the horrified look on his brother's face before. _What makes that girl different than all of the other's we've killed?_

Bankotsu walked down to Jakotsu's room and knocked. "Come in!" Jakotsu called and Bankotsu entered the spotless room. Jakotsu pulled away from his computer and turned to see the very distressed look on his younger brother's face and immediately became concerned. "What's wrong, Ban?"

Bankotsu handed the folder to Jakotsu and his older brother took a look. His eyes widening when he saw the picture. "Is that…Kagome!"


	5. Blood

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. I've recently found that I love the series, Naruto (both the anime and manga versions). And addition to that, I've had to plan socials, start my research paper, and fill out paperwork for my semester in Japan. Hopefully I'll finish this before I go to Japan in Mid-January, but if not…it'll take me much longer to update because I'm probably not going to have internet at my host family's house. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I don't know how I feel about it so let me know what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 5: Blood

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Bankotsu and Jakotsu stared at the picture in horror, wondering how a girl like Kagome could be someone they had to hit. She didn't seem to be rich, snobby, secretive, or anything like the other people they killed. Just then, Suikotsu walked into the room and saw the brothers staring at the picture still. He sighed and took the picture from them. "What the heck are both of your problems? It's just some chick. It isn't like you haven't killed a beautiful girl before," Suikotsu stated.

"That girl is someone we know. She ate lunch with us today. She was really sweet, and it's just a surprise that we have to kill her," Jakotsu said softly, knowing that his younger brother couldn't exactly form words at the moment.

"You mean she's in high school with you two?" Suikotsu asked curiously. Both boys nodded. Suikotsu smirked and flipped through a couple pages of the file before handing it back to them. "I told you two before to read the WHOLE file before making assumptions. This girl's name is Kikyo Hanagawa. She's my age and is a priestess for some shrine on the opposite side of the city. So even if she was your age, you wouldn't be going to school with her."

Bankotsu and Jakotsu quickly read through the page and sighed with relief, while Suikotsu shut the file. "Geez, I've never seen either of you like this over anyone. Especially you, Ban. You're always the first to say yes to a hit," Suikotsu said with surprise. "Anyway, if you're not going to accept this, Ban. You don't have to, but I will and I'll take Genkotsu with me. Renkotsu and Mukotsu might not be too happy if they know that you two can't carry this out because of some girl though."

"Yeah…don't tell them," Bankotsu said softly, feeling somewhat disappointed in himself. Suikotsu nodded and smiled.

"Don't worry little brothers. Your secret is safe with me. I'm going to go call Naraku and tell him that we accept and that the job will be done within the month," he assured them. They both nodded and Suikotsu left for his office.

Bankotsu turned to Jakotsu with wide eyes and sat down on the bed. "Jakotsu…what the hell is going on with me?" Bankotsu asked as he held his head in his hands.

"I believe that this is just showing us that we're not heartless bastards after all," Jakotsu said with a smile as he sat down on the bed next to him, throwing his arm around his brother's shoulder. Bankotsu sighed and shook his head. "Don't worry, big brother. I wouldn't have been able to harm her either."

"Thanks, Jak…" Bankotsu said and got to his feet. "Well…I better finish my homework and get some sleep. See ya tomorrow morning."

Jakotsu nodded and watched Bankotsu walk back to his room.  
>>>>>  
Kagome walked into class silently with Sesshomaru and Miroku behind her. Miroku took his seat behind Sesshomaru and tapped him on the shoulder. "Is she ok?" Miroku asked.

Sesshomaru shrugged. He had been watching her carefully ever since last night when he had come down from his father's office. Every time she was near him, she was tense, probably feeling like she was the cause of his pain, which in some ways, she was. But he was the one that was in love with her and because of that, he would take whatever his father would throw at him. _But I hate seeing her like this…maybe…maybe I should tell her…explain to her._ _No…I should wait… _He got to his feet, stepping next to Kagome, and kneeling down in front of her. "Kagome…" he said softly and she looked up at him.

"What is it, Sesshomaru?" She asked softly.

"Are you alright? You're beginning to worry everyone. Is it because of my father? Or my bruise? You can tell me," Sesshomaru asked.

"I'm fine, Sesshomaru," She assured him with a small smile. "I'm just tired."

Sesshomaru sighed, knowing that she wasn't telling him the whole truth. _I can't expect the truth from her if I can't even tell her the truth myself… I have to tell her…now!_ Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the room. "Ses-Sesshomaru!" she shouted as he dragged her up to the roof and slammed the door behind him. Once they were up there, she yanked her arm away from him and stared at him with surprise. "Why did you bring me up here? Class was just about to start."

"Kagome, I know you're not telling me the truth, however, I can't expect the truth from you if I can't even tell you the truth myself. That's why… Kagome, I need to tell…I mean show you something…" Sesshomaru said softly. "But I want you to promise me that you won't scream."

Kagome quirked an eyebrow at the last part of the sentence, she was so confused, but she knew this was important to him, so she nodded in agreement. As soon as she nodded, the wind began to pick up speed around them and Sesshomaru put his hand over his face as the wind began to swirl around him. Kagome watched with wide eyes as his hair grew out, longer than hers and a white fluffy tail appeared and draped over his shoulder. His ears became pointer, his nails began to grow, and two magenta stripes appeared on his hands and wrists. Suddenly, the wind began to die down and Sesshomaru lowered his hand to reveal his face, a blue crescent moon on his forehead and two magenta stripes on each cheek had been added to his porcelain skin. She stared at him with surprise. "Sesshomaru…you're a…" She stuttered.

He nodded. "Yeah…I'm a youkai," Sesshomaru said softly, lowering his gaze to the floor. Kagome started towards him slowly and cautiously.

"Why didn't you ever tell me? I've known you for years and…" Kagome began.

"I didn't know how to tell you and I didn't know what you would say…" Sesshomaru said softly, but flinched when he felt a hand cup his cheek and looked up to see that it was Kagome's hand, running the pad of her thumb along his markings.

"I would say this, Sesshomaru: You will always be the same person to me, no matter what you look like," Kagome said with a smile. Sesshomaru's eyes slowly started to fill with tears and he smiled, throwing his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. She smiled and hugged him back.

"Thank you, Kagome," he whispered into her ear. Kagome nodded and watched as the wind swirled around them again, changing him back to his human state. When she pulled away from him, she suddenly remembered about Inu Yasha.

"Sesshomaru…so Inu Yasha…?" she began but he stopped her.

"He's half youkai, Kagome. Izayoi is a ningen, just like you," Sesshomaru told her. Kagome smiled and nodded. "Shall we go back to class?"

"Sensei is going to drill us about missing the beginning of class, isn't she?" Kagome sighed. Sesshomaru laughed.

"Probably, but it was worth it," Sesshomaru said. Kagome looked up at him and nodded.

"Yes. Yes it was," Kagome said and they left the roof for class.  
>>>>>  
Miroku and Sango stared at their friends awkwardly as the three of them, Sesshomaru, Inu Yasha, and Kagome walked over to their normal table for lunch. "What's with them? I've never seen either of them, except for Kagome, look that happy," Miroku whispered to Sango.

"No kidding," Sango said and both of their eyes widened when they saw Sesshomaru smile.

"Oh my god…hell has frozen over," Miroku stated, both of them still staring at their friends.

Inu Yasha, Sesshomaru and Kagome looked over at their friends and saw them staring. Inu Yasha walked up to Miroku and knocked on the top of his head. "Are you ok, Miroku?" Inu Yasha asked.

"Sesshomaru…smile…" Miroku stuttered.

"Don't get used to it," Sesshomaru stated as his face immediately went back to his usual ice cold mask and he sat down across from Sango with Kagome next to him.

"Has anyone seen Bankotsu or Jakotsu?" Kagome asked as she opened her lunch.

Sango nodded. "Last time I saw them, there was a swarm of girls around Bankotsu and Jakotsu was watching from the stairs," Sango told them. Just then, they saw Bankotsu and Jakotsu run out of the front doors and slamming them shut behind them. Kagome laughed and saw them walk towards them. "Well it looks like you two have had your hands full all day."

Bankotsu plopped down next to Kagome and Jakotsu next to Miroku, which made Inu Yasha jump up and sit next to Sango. However, as soon as he sat down, he caught Sesshomaru's eyes and saw them flash red. He sniffed the air to see if there was a youkai nearby, but instead of a youkai's scent he picked up something else. _Ningen blood? But…I didn't smell anything until Bankotsu and Jakotsu…_ He looked back up at Sesshomaru and saw him staring intensely at Bankotsu and Jakotsu, who were both talking and laughing with Kagome, Sango, and Miroku.

"So what did you two do last night, Bankotsu?" Kagome asked.

Bankotsu looked up at Jakotsu and smirked. "Well, we went out around the town for a little while, but then we just got back to the house and started on homework," Bankotsu told her. Sesshomaru watched Jakotsu and Bankotsu carefully, catching the glances they gave each other. _They're lying…_

"That sounds like fun, but you know, you should probably go around with people that know the area," Miroku said. "That way you know where people like us go to hang out."

"Well if you all aren't busy, maybe you guys can show us after school," Bankotsu said with a smile, looking directly at Kagome.

"Sure, I'm free," Kagome said happily. "Sango?"

"Yeah I can come along," Sango said. "But the guys won't be able to. Sesshomaru has student council and Miroku has to go help out at the monastery."

Miroku sighed and nodded his head in disappointment. "What about you, Inu Yasha?" Jakotsu asked curiously with a smirk on his face.

"I…I…" Inu Yasha stuttered.

"He's free, he will go," Sesshomaru said for his brother. Inu Yasha immediately glared at Sesshomaru angrily, but Sesshomaru's eyes said that they would talk later.

Inu Yasha sighed and nodded. "Fine…" Inu Yasha muttered and went back to his lunch.

"Yay! Inu Yasha's coming!" Jakotsu cheered. Bankotsu smiled and nodded.

"Well, why don't we meet you three at the front door about 10 minutes after the bell?" Bankotsu suggested.

"Sounds good," Kagome said, as Sango nodded in agreement.

"Great, it's a date," Jakotsu said happily as he started eating again. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Bankotsu nodded and followed suit, beginning to eat.

Sesshomaru looked over at Inu Yasha, silently telling him that he needed to speak with him. Inu Yasha nodded and they excused themselves, saying they had forgotten something in their locker. The others didn't seem to care and Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru slipped out of sight.


	6. Getting to Know You

A/N: Thanks for waiting patiently everyone. I've had a lot to do with my sorority and well since i got way too fucking drunk last night and decided not to do homework today because of it, i decided to finally update. I hope you like the chapter, i think it's pretty good. Please Read and Review!

Chapter Six: Getting to Know You

Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru walked up to the roof and shut the door behind them. "You smelled it too, didn't you?" Sesshomaru asked once he was certain they were alone.

"Blood…" Inu Yasha said as he nodded. "Ningen blood."

"It wasn't from Sango, Miroku, or Kagome. It was coming from Bankotsu and Jakotsu had a faint scent of it," Sesshomaru said.

Inu Yasha watched his brother pacing back and forth and leaned against the door to the roof, crossing his arms over his chest. "What do you think it means?" Inu Yasha asked.

"I don't know," Sesshomaru said. "What do you think?"

"Well…maybe one of his brothers accidentally got cut next to them," Inu Yasha suggested, trying to think of a logical explanation for the blood.

"Inu Yasha, that blood's smell did not have any scent of those two. Hasn't father told you this before? Blood among relatives smell similar," Sesshomaru reminded his little brother.

"Sesshomaru…you could at least try to trust them. Kagome seems to, why can't you?" Inu Yasha asked curiously.

"Because there's something wrong with those two. They're hiding something," Sesshomaru stated as he stopped in front of Inu Yasha and looked him straight in the eye. "Don't you have that feeling in your gut, Inu Yasha? That something is wrong with those two!"

Inu Yasha sighed. "Yes, even looking past the gay one…yes…" Inu Yasha said softly. "But Sesshomaru, Kagome is great with judging character. She looks past the bad and brings out the good in people, you, of all people, should know this. She brought out the good in you; maybe she will change those two."

"She's too trusting and naïve, Inu Yasha. That's why you're going with her today, so you can keep an eye on her," Sesshomaru told him. "If you find out anything suspicious, tell me immediately."

Inu Yasha sighed and nodded. "I guess I will follow your orders this time, but don't make a habit of it. The only reason I'm doing this is because I care about Kagome and I don't ever want to see her hurt," Inu Yasha stated and opened the door to the roof, walking down to class, leaving his older brother to his thoughts.

Kagome, Sango, and Inu Yasha waited with their backpacks at the front door for Bankotsu and Jakotsu. "Sango, where do you think we should take them?" Kagome asked.

"Let's take them to Shinobi and get some food," Sango said with a smile. "I'm sure Inu Yasha would like to eat some…"

"RAMEN!" Inu Yasha exclaimed as he shot his fist into the air and jumped for joy. Bankotsu and Jakotsu decided to walk out at that time and stared at the man like he was insane.

"What's he happy about?" Bankotsu asked Kagome curiously.

"He's happy to see me, right?" Jakotsu exclaimed throwing his arms around Inu Yasha, whose eyes immediately went wide and jumped out of the boy's arms.

"EWW! DON'T TOUCH ME!" Inu Yasha exclaimed and hid behind Kagome. Kagome giggled and turned to Bankotsu.

"We're taking you guys to Shinobi, I hope you're hungry," Kagome said with a huge smile on her face. She reached behind her and grabbed Bankotsu's hand, pulling him to the front of the group and started walking away. Inu Yasha immediately took off after them so he didn't have to walk with Jakotsu. Jakotsu looked at Sango in disgust. He hated girls, but decided to put that aside to possibly help out his brother.

"So, what does Kagome think about my brother?" Jakotsu asked Sango as they walked several feet behind the other three.

"I don't know," Sango said with a smirk. "She's only known him for a day. Why? Does Bankotsu like her?"

"He hasn't said so specifically…" Jakotsu said with a smirk. "But I think he is quite taken with her."

"Taken with her… Ha! You sound like an old man with that kind of talk," Sango laughed, but took the time to take a look at Kagome and Bankotsu. "I must say they do make a cute-looking couple."

"So would you like to participate in a little scheming?" Jakotsu asked with a smirk.

"What do you have in mind?" Sango asked curiously.

"Let's just get them alone for once, considering they haven't been alone yet. Well…not since they first met," Jakotsu told her. Sango quirked an eyebrow and stared at the gay man with a bit of surprise.

"What are you talking about? They first time they met was when you and Inu Yasha were arguing over the table," Sango said.

Jakotsu shook his head. "Nope!" He said happily. "They met in the hallway or something. Bankotsu said that she slammed her hand in her locker. Bankotsu found her and took care of her."

Sango lowered her gaze and sighed. "She didn't tell me…" Sango said softly. "Oh well… After Shinobi, we'll go to a movie. Kagome likes to sit in the back, but I'll grab Inu Yasha and we'll sit in the front. What do you think?"

"That could work…but what if they don't talk? It is a movie after all," Jakotsu said.

Sango nodded her understanding and thought. "Well…let's just see how the restaurant goes," Sango said. Jakotsu nodded and they hurried to catch up with the rest of the group.

Kagome, Bankotsu, Inu Yasha, Sango, and Jakotsu walked into the restaurant and were seated at a very large booth. "Hey…this place is great!" Bankotsu said as he looked around and saw the armor and weaponry surrounding the room. They were all armor and weapons of a ninja.

Just then a waiter came up with five glasses of water. "Hey. How's everyone… Kagome!" the waiter said with a smile.

"Hey Kouga. How are you?" Kagome asked with a smile.

"Great. Where's Sesshomaru?" Kouga asked as he looked around frantically.

"He's at school. He had student council after classes," Kagome told him. "Why?"

Kouga smirked and pulled out a piece of paper, writing something quickly on it and handing it to her. "Because I can finally give you my number and we can go out on a date," Kouga said happily, but once he said that, Inu Yasha grabbed the paper from Kagome and shredded it.

"Get a life, moron. She's not interested," Inu Yasha stated to the waiter without looking at him.

"Fuck you, Dog shit!" Kouga shouted as he leaned across the table, but Kagome stopped them.

"Please don't fight," Kagome begged.

"She told you before that she wasn't interested, Kouga," Inu Yasha stated as he turned to catch the man's gaze and sparks immediately shot between them.

"Yeah, Kouga. Give it a rest. Kagome just isn't interested. She only sees you as a friend," Sango sighed from across the table, next to Jakotsu. "And it wasn't just because Sesshomaru was here."

Kouga huffed and stood back up. "Well who are these two guys? I've never seen them before," Kouga said through clenched teeth.

"This is Bankotsu and Jakotsu. They just moved here," Kagome said with a smile. "We're showing them around today."

"I see. Anyway, back to work, what can I get you all to drink?" Kouga asked and started scrawling their order on the pad of paper in his hand.

Kouga brought out their orders and left them on the table. They grabbed their chopsticks and smiled. "Itadakimasu!" they exclaimed and dug into their food. Kagome looked over at Bankotsu and Jakotsu smiled as they took their first bites.

"So? What do you think?" She asked.

"It's great," Bankotsu said with a smile. Kagome nodded and went back to her food. "So what are we doing after this?"

Sango and Jakotsu gave each other a quick look and smirked. "Let's go to a movie!" they said quickly.

Bankotsu, Kagome, and Inu Yasha froze and stared at the two across the table. "A movie sounds like a good idea," Inu Yasha said. "I've wanted to go see that new movie, _Blood Suckers_, for awhile now."

Kagome immediately tensed at the thought of the rated R horror film and stared at Sango with wide eyes. "I think that sounds great!" Sango said happily, ignoring her best friend's glares.

"Yeah! I want to see that too!" Jakotsu chimed in with a huge grin on his face.

Bankotsu looked over at Kagome and saw her feeling a bit uneasy. "Umm…I don't think Kagome wants to see that movie, guys…" Bankotsu pointed out.

"Well why don't you and Kagome go to a different movie that will end about the same time, Ban?" Jakotsu suggested and watched as Bankotsu looked to Kagome.

"That sounds like a good idea, Kagome. Why don't we go see something you want to see," Bankotsu said to her. Kagome smiled and nodded, not noticing that Sango and Jakotsu's faces had completely lit up. If it hadn't been for the fact that they were in the presence of Kagome, Bankotsu, and Inu Yasha, they would be dancing on the tables.

"Great! Let's hurry up and eat and get to the movie theater," Sango said cheerfully. Inu Yasha watched as everyone nodded and started inhaling their food again, but he stared curiously at Sango and Jakotsu. _Are those two planning something? _

At the movie theater, Kagome and Bankotsu got tickets to see a comedy called, _Third Times a Charm_ while Sango and Jakotsu dragged Inu Yasha into _Blood Suckers_. "HEY! I can walk you know. I do have two legs," Inu Yasha said as Sango finally stopped dragging him into the other theater. "What's with you two anyway?"

"Nothing," Sango stated. "Why would you think something is wrong with us?"

That's when a light bulb went off in Inu Yasha's thick head and he glared at Sango and Jakotsu. "You two! You wanted them to go to a different movie, so that's why you said you would all watch this one with me!" Inu Yasha exclaimed as he started towards the door.

Sango and Jakotsu quickly jumped in front of him and pushed him back towards the middle of the theater. "Oh come on, Inu Yasha! Nothing is going to happen to Kagome!" Sango exclaimed.

"Yeah, she's safe with my brother and my brother isn't one to try anything. Besides, I thought you were DYING to see this movie," Jakotsu told him.

Inu Yasha sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well…I guess it's ok," Inu Yasha muttered and took a seat. "But I'm going to really hear it from Sesshomaru tonight…"

"What?" Sango asked, but Inu Yasha ignored her and the lights dimmed as the movie was about to start.

Bankotsu and Kagome sat in the back of the movie theater and waited for their movie to begin. "Th-thank you for coming to this movie with me, Bankotsu," Kagome said shyly. "You didn't have to…"

"Don't worry about it, Kagome. That movie looked dumb anyway," Bankotsu assured her. Kagome smiled and nodded.

"So what do you think of the area so far?" Kagome asked.

"It's ok. I like it so far," Bankotsu said with a smile. Kagome nodded.

"Why did you move here anyway?" Kagome asked curiously.

"My older brother has his own business and needed to relocate to be closer to his clients," Bankotsu said.

"Oh? How many brothers do you have?" Kagome asked.

"Six. I'm the youngest," Bankotsu asked. "Suikotsu is the oldest, he's the businessman. Renkotsu is a private investigator, and the other 3 don't have jobs, and obviously you know about Jakotsu."

Kagome giggled. "Yes," Kagome laughed.

"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" Bankotsu asked politely.

"I have a younger brother named Souta," Kagome answered. "We live with my mom and grandfather at a shrine. My grandfather is a Shinto priest. My cousin, Kikyo, is a priestess at the shrine across town."

Bankotsu's eyes widened in horror. _That girl in the picture…the one that looks exactly like Kagome…is her cousin!_ "Bankotsu, are you ok? You look a bit pale all of a sudden," Kagome said as she placed her hand on his forehead to see if he had a temperature.

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm fine, Kagome," Bankotsu said with a smile. "Are you close with your cousin?"

"Kikyo? No, not really. She's about nine years older than I am and would never play with me or anything when we were little. She was kinda mean and her mom and my mom never really got along," Kagome answered softly as the lights were dimmed. "Oh, look. The movie is about to start."

Bankotsu nodded and turned his attention to the movie. As the movie went on, Bankotsu couldn't help but watch Kagome through the corner of his eye. She laughed and smiled throughout the whole movie and it made him happy, but he couldn't help but wonder if that would all stop if her cousin was murdered. He felt awful and he didn't know what to do. Suikotsu was going to go through with the job no matter what and they never gave up a job once it was accepted. _Shit… I've gotta talk to Jakotsu because… I never want to see Kagome cry…_

After the movie, Bankotsu and Kagome found Jakotsu, Sango, and Inu Yasha outside waiting on a bench. "So? How was _Blood Suckers_?" Bankotsu asked the three on the bench.

"AWESOME!" Inu Yasha exclaimed.

"Well it's getting late and we all have homework to do," Sango said as she grabbed her book bag.

"Come on, Kagome. I'll walk you home," Inu Yasha said as he walked over and put his arm around her shoulder. Kagome smiled and nodded before turning to Bankotsu and Jakotsu.

"Do you two know how to get home from here?" she asked.

Bankotsu and Jakotsu nodded. "Thanks for taking us out!" Jakotsu said happily. "We'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Kagome smiled and nodded while Inu Yasha escorted her and Sango home. Once they were out of sight, Jakotsu turned to Bankotsu. "So? How'd the movie go?" Jakotsu asked happily.

"You planned that, didn't you?" Bankotsu asked and watched as Jakotsu's grin grew wider.

"I don't know what you're talking about big brother," Jakotsu said as he started walking away, but before he could get far, Bankotsu pulled him back with a serious look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Kagome's cousin…is that Kikyo girl," Bankotsu stated.

Jakotsu's smile immediately dropped. "You're kidding…" Jakotsu said with a wide open mouth.

"No," Bankotsu said.

"What'd you do? Ask her flat out if she knows that girl?" Jakotsu asked. "Were you just like…I saw a picture of you…actually it wasn't of you, it was of a girl who looked just like you, do you know her!"

"OF COURSE NOT! We were talking about our families," Bankotsu said. "She said her cousin Kikyo was a priestess and her grandfather is a priest."

"Shit…well…what are you going to do?" Jakotsu asked.

"Talk to Suikotsu," Bankotsu said as they started for their house. Jakotsu watched his brother from behind him and smiled. _I was right…you do care for her, brother…_


	7. Mourning

A/N: Finals week is here and i just had to get this chapter out before it. Wish me luck on finals, and tell me what you think of the chapter. If i don't post before then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chapter Seven: Mourning

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Suikotsu sat at his desk in his office silently browsing the internet. _What is with this guy, Naraku? I can't find anything on him. Not even a fucking birth certificate or social security number. Damn it…_ Just then, there was a knock at the door and Suikotsu looked up. "Come in," He said and Bankotsu walked into the room with Jakotsu before closing the door behind him. Suikotsu leaned back in his chair and stared at the two boys curiously. Something was definitely off with them. "How was school today?"

"Don't worry about school…we have something to talk to you about," Bankotsu stated as he and Jakotsu both approached the desk and sat down in the chairs in front of it.

Suikotsu waited patiently for his brothers to continue, but they said nothing. They seemed quite concerned about something. "So? What do you have to talk to me about?" Suikotsu asked when they still said nothing.

"That girl, Kikyo…" Bankotsu began, but he stopped unable to complete the sentence.

"What about her? Muikotsu went to go take care of her like an hour ago," Suikotsu told them, but watched as each of his brothers' gazes lifted to meet his as if they didn't believe him. Once they caught his gaze, they realized what he said was true and their faces paled. "What is wrong with you two?"

"She's Kagome's cousin," Jakotsu finally answered.

"So? What's your point? Are they close or something?" Suikotsu asked as if there wasn't a problem. Bankotsu immediately got up from the chair and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him and leaving Jakotsu alone with Suikotsu. "What's going on, Jakotsu?"

Jakotsu sighed and sat back in his chair. "I think Bankotsu is starting to have really strong feelings about this girl," Jakotsu explained.

"What makes you think that?" Suikotsu asked.

"Well…for one, he's hanging out with her, which is unusual because the girls are usually chasing him around. And two…I haven't seen him smile a pure smile since we were little kids," Jakotsu said softly.

"But he's only known her for two days, Jakotsu," Suikotsu reminded.

Jakotsu nodded. "I know…but even I feel a strong connection with this girl…and I'm gay," Jakotsu told him. "But I think she makes him happy. You should see the people she hangs around, Suikotsu. They're nothing like her, but she loves each and every one of them. This one guy is like ice cold…possibly colder than Renkotsu and when he's with her…he smiles, a warm, sincere smile."

"Well…there's nothing I can do about Muikotsu. More than likely he's coming back now," Suikotsu sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "As for that girl…Kagome, was it? Maybe I should check into her, make sure she's not trying to bring us down or anything."

Jakotsu's eyes widened. "You think she knows who we are and is playing us? Suikotsu, she's only 17!" Jakotsu exclaimed.

"And you're 18 and Bankotsu is 17. You two have been killing since you were 14. Do you really think it is that unlikely that she could have been doing the same thing?" Suikotsu asked.

"No…but…" Jakotsu began, knowing full well that he would lose this battle.

"But nothing. I'm just looking out for you two," Suikotsu stated as he reached into his desk and pulled out another file. "By the way…we've got a new mission from Naraku."

Jakotsu took the file and opened it up. "Taisho…of Taisho Enterprises!" Jakotsu exclaimed.

"Yup. If we accept, we have five days to complete the mission and will receive 500-grand. We were ordered to leave no one alive, not even servants that are living within their mansion," Suikotsu said. "Let Bankotsu have a look at it."

Jakotsu nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Suikotsu to his computer. _Taisho? …This is a big one. _

_>>>>>>_

After dropping off Sango, Inu Yasha and Kagome walked into the Higurashi's house. "Tadaima!" Kagome shouted happily as she and Inu Yasha took off their shoes. Nobody answered and she became curious. "Kaasan? Jiisan? Anyone home?"

Just then, they picked up the sound of sniffles and Kagome began to worry. "Kaasan? Jiisan? Souta?" Kagome exclaimed following the sounds to the kitchen and found her mother and grandfather sitting around the table with their eyes red and their heads in their hands. Inu Yasha walked in and was overwhelmed by the smell of tears.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Inu Yasha asked with concern.

Kagome's mother looked up and saw Kagome and Inu Yasha standing in front of them with concern. "Kaasan?" Kagome asked.

"Your grandfather just got a call from the temple your cousin works at. About half an hour ago..." her mother sniffled as she wrung her hands tightly. "Kikyo was poisoned and died before she got to the hospital."

Kagome's eyes widened and Inu Yasha grabbed a hold of her before her legs gave away. "Kikyo…is dead…?" Kagome said softly.

"Kagome, have a seat. I'm going to call, Sesshomaru," Inu Yasha said helping her to a chair and sitting her down before he pulled out his cell phone and exited the room to call his brother.

Kagome's mother got up from her seat and threw her arms around her daughter, crying against her shoulder while Kagome stared into space.

Inu Yasha dialed his brother's number and waited for him to pick up.

-What do you want?-

"Kagome needs you. Her cousin was murdered."

-What!-

"Her cousin was murdered, Sesshomaru. Get over here."

-I'm on my way-

Inu Yasha listened to Sesshomaru hang up and hung up his own phone too. He walked into the other room and saw Kagome was now crying. His heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly and he ran over and hugged her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. "Inu Yasha…"

"It's ok, Kagome. Everything will be ok," Inu Yasha assured her, before turning to her mother. "Do they know who did it?"

"No, they didn't find anything except the poison," Kagome's mother said as someone walked into the house without knocking and she held her breath, fearfully of what it could be. But when Sesshomaru ran into the kitchen, she sighed with relief. "Oh, Sesshomaru…you scared me."

Sesshomaru immediately ran over to Kagome and took her from Inu Yasha, hugging her as tightly as possible, without crushing the poor girl. "Sesshomaru…" Kagome cried against his chest.

"Shh…" He whispered as he released her a little bit, and escorted her to the couch in the other room. Inu Yasha watched them walk away and turned to Kagome's mother.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Higurashi and sir, for your loss," he said as he bowed his head. "I'll let myself out."

He bowed again and left the house, leaving his older brother to take care of Kagome.

>>>>>>

The next day, despite her mother's protests, Kagome was escorted into school by Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha. She told her mom that she needed to go to get her mind off of everything else. She went to classes and remained silent throughout each class, not participating in any of them.

The lunch bell rang and Inu Yasha, Sesshomaru, and Kagome walked out to their table outside meeting up with Jakotsu, Bankotsu, Sango, and Miroku. "Kagome-chan? What's wrong?" Sango asked with worry when they all saw Kagome's sad expression.

Sesshomaru ignored them, putting his arm around Kagome and leading her to the table, leaving Inu Yasha to explain. "Kagome's cousin was murdered yesterday," Inu Yasha told all of them quietly. Sango gasped and covered her mouth in horror while Miroku rubbed her back reassuringly.

"So Kagome isn't taking it well, huh?" Miroku asked. Inu Yasha shook his head and they walked over to join them. Jakotsu and Bankotsu looked at each other and immediately felt guilty. _Shit…_ They walked over and sat down with the group.

"Do they know who did it?" Bankotsu asked.

Inu Yasha shook his head and placed his hand on top of Kagome's. "Listen, let's not talk about this anymore," Sango told them and pulled out her lunch. "Let's just eat."

They all nodded and pulled out their lunches.

Kagome didn't say a word during lunch and when they were done, Sesshomaru just escorted her back to class. Inu Yasha, Sango, and Miroku followed, leaving Bankotsu and Jakotsu alone at the picnic table. "I guess they were closer than she said," Bankotsu said softly.

Jakotsu shook his head. "No, I don't think that's it. That girl was her family, Bankotsu. When a family member dies, no matter how close they are…people still mourn over them," Jakotsu told him. Bankotsu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "So what now?"

"We move on. We move onto the next target…Taisho," Bankotsu stated.


	8. And the Glass Shatters

**A/N:** First of all, thanks for all the great reviews. I really appreciate the support. Second of all, I just wanted to let you know the deal about the character, Taisho. I know that many other people have used the name Inu Taisho as Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha's father so that Taisho is his last name. However, for my story…this is not the case. I am using Taisho as their father's first name and he is only known as Taisho. Right now, he doesn't have a last name…hehehe. Sorry, however I will tell you that I am going to make Inu Yasha, Sesshomaru, and Taisho's last name Ishiyama. Lastly, I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to put up the next chapter. I've been working a lot to save up for my trip to Japan. I'll be gone until mid-May, but hopefully I will be able to make some updates over there. Anyway, thanks SO MUCH! Hope you enjoy the next chapter and keep reviewing. My policy is…if I don't get reviews, I get no motivation and therefore stop. Anyway…Enjoy!

**Chapter Eight: And The Glass Shatters**

Bankotsu and Jakotsu had been training with their older brothers until late at night and had been going to school feeling exhausted. Kagome had started smiling after a while, but it was never a full blown smile like before. It was only 3 days after the incident when Bankotsu saw Kagome sitting alone at the picnic table. "Kagome, what are you still doing here? School is out. Shouldn't you be going home?" Bankotsu asked.

"Sesshomaru asked me to wait for him. I'm going to his house for the night," Kagome told him.

"Really? That's nice," Bankotsu said as he sat down next to her.

"What about you?" Kagome asked.

"Jakotsu is on his way…" Bankotsu said. "He saw a cute guy I guess."

Kagome giggled at the thought and looked away from him. "Kagome…I was wondering…" Bankotsu said softly. "Would you…like to go out to dinner with me…sometime…?"

Kagome turned to him with surprise and smiled. "Sure," Kagome said. Banktosu's gaze immediately turned to her with shock.

"Really?" Bankotsu asked like he heard wrong.

Kagome nodded. "When?" She asked curiously.

"Umm…tomorrow. We can go for an early dinner," Bankotsu said. "I'll pick you up at 5:30, ok?"

"Hai," Kagome said and saw Sesshomaru step out of the school. She jumped to her feet and bowed her head. "So tomorrow."

"Yes," He said with a smile as he got to his feet. "Tomorrow."

Sesshomaru walked over to her and stared at Bankotsu suspiciously. "What about tomorrow?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Bankotsu is taking me out to dinner," Kagome said as she turned towards Sesshomaru.

"Oh is that so?" Sesshomaru asked while glaring at Bankotsu.

"Hai. Now let's go, Sesshomaru, Jaken is waiting," Kagome said as she took Sesshomaru's hand and started pulling him towards the parking lot. Sesshomaru nodded and turned away to walk with Kagome, leaving Bankotsu alone.

Bankotsu couldn't help but feel worried about the look Sesshomaru had given him, but he couldn't help smiling. "Why are you so happy?" Jakotsu asked when he came up behind his brother.

"Kagome and I are going out to dinner tomorrow," Bankotsu said happily. Instantly, Jakotsu started jumping up and down like a little girl.

"OH MY GOD! HOW EXCITING!" Jakotsu squealed like a little girl, but then stopped. "Just one problem…"

"What?" Bankotsu asked.

"WE DECIDED TO DO THE JOB TOMORROW!" Jakotsu shouted at his brother. Bankotsu's smile immediately dropped and his face went pale. "Now he remembers…"

"Well…we said an early dinner…" Bankotsu sighed.

"Suikotsu said we have to prepare as soon as we get home," Jakotsu reminded. "Just reschedule, Ban."

"But…" Bankotsu began.

"Do you really want to stand her up, Ban? NOW HURRY UP AND CATCH UP WITH HER!" Jakotsu shouted. Bankotsu sighed and took off after her.

Kagome was just being helped into the car by Sesshomaru when Bankotsu burst out of the door. "Kagome! Wait!" Bankotsu called out and Kagome stopped and Sesshomaru helped her step back out of the car.

"What is it, Bankotsu?" Kagome asked curiously as he stopped in front of her.

"Jakotsu…he just reminded me that I have family stuff I have to do tomorrow. I'm sorry…can we do it another day?" Bankotsu asked, praying to god that she said yes.

"Uh…sure," Kagome told him. "Just let me know when, ok?"

"Of course!" Bankotsu exclaimed. "I'm really sorry that I forgot."

"Don't worry about it, Bankotsu," Kagome assured him. "Anyway, we have to go. See you tomorrow."

"Hai!" Bankotsu said and watched Kagome and Sesshomaru get in the car and drive off. Jakotsu walked over and put his arm around his brother's shoulder.

"See, it wasn't that hard now, was it?" Jakotsu teased. Bankotsu smiled at him and nodded. "Now come on. We've got some last minute training to do."

>>>>>

Two nights later, Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha invited Kagome over for dinner. They had their cook make a few pizzas and then took their food in front of the big screen television to watch the stack of movies they had rented. "So you and Bankotsu, huh?" Inu Yasha asked as he took a bite of his pizza.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"Sesshomaru said you guys are going on a date," Inu Yasha said.

"Umm…yeah…" Kagome said as she looked away.

"Inu Yasha," Sesshomaru said grabbing his half-brother's attention. "Shut up and start the movie."

"Huh? Oh…right…" Inu Yasha said as he grabbed one of the movies and put it in the DVD player. "Hopefully, Dad doesn't interrupt the movie, because I really want to see this one."

Kagome smiled and leaned against Sesshomaru's shoulder and they all watched the movie while eating their pizzas.

Bankotsu, Jakotsu, Suikotsu and the rest of the family snuck up to the gates of the very large estate that had dog statues rather than gargoyles all over the place. "What's with this guy's fascination with dogs? It's…sick," Jakotsu said as he saw another row of them as they approached the back.

"I don't know. We couldn't really gather that much intel on this guy," Renkotsu told his younger brother.

"So we're going in blind!" Jakotsu exclaimed.

"Yeah…we kind of have to," Suikotsu told him. "We accepted the job…and we never go back after that."

"So what if there are alarms or anything around this place? We could be killed where we stand!" Jakotsu shouted.

"Jakotsu, be quiet or you really will give away our position," Bankotsu warned. "Now come on. I gave up my date with Kagome for this. So let's hurry up and get this over with."

"Fine, here's the deal. Renkotsu, Mukotsu, Genkotsu, Kyoukotsu, and I will go around the back and clear out the first floor. Jakotsu…Bankotsu…you're going to climb up to the balcony and take care of the second floor, which according to my new toy…there is only one person up there," Suikotsu said.

"Alright…then let's get a move on," Bankotsu said and they took off for their designated places.

>>>>>

Kagome opened her eyes and realized that the three of them had fallen asleep. She smiled and sighed against him. She loved it when it was just them. They were her family outside of her real family.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru's arm tightened around her, scaring her half to death. She looked over at him and saw the serious expression in his eyes. "You were awake?" Kagome asked.

"No…I _was _asleep, but it seems we have company," Sesshomaru said as Inu Yasha also opened his eyes. They all got to their feet and Inu Yasha turned off the movie. "Inu Yasha…take Kagome upstairs with Father. It'll be safer up there."  
"Right," Inu Yasha said taking Kagome's hand and starting towards the stairs, but just as they had reached the stairs, they heard the sound of breaking glass and saw five men jump through the windows and charge towards Inu Yasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru.

Kagome screamed and Inu Yasha quickly pushed her behind him, up the stairs. "INU YASHA! GO!" Sesshomaru shouted as he transformed into his humanoid form and started fighting with the men that attacked him, but two of them went for Inu Yasha and Kagome.

"KAGOME! GO UPSTAIRS AND FIND MY FATHER! DON'T WORRY! WE'LL BE FINE!" Inu Yasha shouted at her.

Kagome however couldn't move. "KAGOME! PLEASE!" Sesshomaru shouted at her.

>>>>>

Bankotsu and Jakotsu watched Suikotsu give the signal and they burst through the windows on the balcony and took off down the hallway. That's when they heard familiar voices.

"INU YASHA! GO!" they heard someone shout and both Jakotsu and Bankotsu froze.

"No way…" Jakotsu said in shock.

"KAGOME! GO UPSTAIRS AND FIND MY FATHER! DON'T WORRY! WE'LL BE FINE!" they heard Inu Yasha shout.

"Kagome…" Bankotsu gasped as he felt like his spirit had just fled his body. Jakotsu looked over at his brother and saw him pale.

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, BANKOTSU! GO STOP EVERYONE!" Jakotsu shouted. However, Bankotsu couldn't move. For once, he was scared of being seen. Jakotsu grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards the stairs. They reached the staircase just as Kagome was running up the stairs frantically, and didn't even notice that they were standing there. She ran right into Bankotsu's chest and started falling backwards. "BAN!"

Bankotsu snapped back to reality and grabbed Kagome's wrist, pulling her up to his chest, holding her in his arms. His heart racing out of fear and her whole body was trembling. She slowly looked up and Bankotsu saw the fear in her eyes immediately followed by confusion. "Bankotsu…"


	9. In Order to Survive

A/N: Ok, first off. I'm so sorry this took forever to put up, but i haven't been happy with this chapter and i've rewritten it like 3 or 4 times and i'm still not satisfied. However, it does get me where i want to go. So sorry if it really sucks and you were expecting something great. If any of you have any suggestions, feel free to email me at Once again, sorry for the wait. On and by the way, Japan is amazing. Loving every moment of being here!

Last time:

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, BANKOTSU! GO STOP EVERYONE!" Jakotsu shouted. However, Bankotsu couldn't move. For once, he was scared of being seen. Jakotsu grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards the stairs. They reached the staircase just as Kagome was running up the stairs frantically, and didn't even notice that they were standing there. She ran right into Bankotsu's chest and started falling backwards. "BAN!"

Bankotsu snapped back to reality and grabbed Kagome's wrist, pulling her up to his chest, holding her in his arms. His heart racing out of fear and her whole body was trembling. She slowly looked up and Bankotsu saw the fear in her eyes immediately followed by confusion. "Bankotsu…"

Chapter Nine: In Order to Survive

Jakotsu watched as Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha's heads snapped to their direction when they heard Kagome say his brother's name and panic rushed through his body. He could have sworn that Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha's eyes were glowing red now as they both threw two of his brothers aside and started running towards them. Before he could react, Inu Yasha had grabbed Jakotsu by the throat and was lifting him off his feet. "I-Inu…Yas-ha…" Jakotsu choked out as Inu Yasha's grip on his neck tightened.

At the same time, Sesshomaru had stepped between Kagome and Bankotsu and was growling in the young man's face. "Don't you EVER touch her," Sesshomaru growled as he raised his fist to punch Bankotsu. Bankotsu couldn't move, all he could do was stand in place staring at Kagome, who was clinging to Sesshomaru's shirt with fear in her eyes. His heart shattered seeing as his only chance for happiness was now ruined; the only one to ever make him smile now feared him. So he waited for Sesshomaru's fist to connect with his face, lowering his gaze to the ground in shame.

"SESSHOMARU! INU YASHA!" they heard someone shout and Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru's eyes immediately shot past the two young men that were at their mercy and saw their father standing there. "Bring them to my office. All of them…and don't injure them anymore…yet."

Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha growled angrily, but obeyed, dragging Jakotsu and Bankotsu into their father's office before going back down and bringing the others up. When they had finally thrown everyone into the office and slammed the door behind them, they saw Kagome still sitting on the stairs with her knees pulled to her chest. Her whole body shook with fear and her eyes were wide with horror. The two brothers quickly took a deep breath, desperately trying to keep themselves from storming back into the office and ripping Bankotsu and Jakotsu apart, before walking over to her.

Sesshomaru knelt down next to her and reached out cupping her cheek. She immediately cowered away at the innocent touch, but when she realized who it was, she launched herself into his arms. He sighed and hugged her tightly before picking her up and taking her to his room.

By the time he reached his bedroom, Kagome had already fallen asleep, so he set her down on the bed and ordered Inu Yasha to stay with her. Inu Yasha for once didn't protest and took a seat in a chair that he had pulled next to the bed. Once Inu Yasha was settled, Sesshomaru left the room and stormed off to his father's office.

Taisho sat at his desk as he glared at each of the brothers that were scattered through his office. "Who's the head of this operation?" Taisho finally asked as he leaned on the desk a little more looking directly at Bankotsu. Bankotsu felt sick under his glare and was about to answer when Suikotsu spoke.

"I am, sir," Suikotsu stated and Taisho finally peeled his eyes off of Bankotsu to stare at him.

"So…tell me, who hired you?" Taisho asked curiously.

"Like he's going to tell you! Unless…you have something to offer," Renkotsu exclaimed greedily. Suddenly the door flew open and Sesshomaru stormed in grabbing Renkotsu by his shirt and lifting him to his feet.

"I'LL OFFER YOU SOMETHING! I'LL OFFER YOU THE CHANCE TO WALK OUT OF HERE ALIVE!" Sesshomaru growled in his face causing Renkotsu to cower back a bit.

"Sesshomaru, calm down," Taisho said calmly as Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder.

"Why the hell are you so calm, father? They were here to kill you after all," Sesshomaru spat before throwing Renkotsu back on the ground.

"Not everything has to be done by brute force, Sesshomaru," Taisho said. "Anyway, it's not difficult to figure out that Naraku hired all of you to kill me. So I figured I'd pay you all double of what Naraku is paying you to not complete this job, I believe that sounds fair."

Suikotsu looked over at Jakotsu, who nodded his head before turning back to Taisho. "Very well," Suikotsu stated. "Now may we leave?"

"No, I wish to speak with you two," Taisho said pointing to Jakotsu and Bankotsu. Suikotsu looked over at Jakotsu and Bankotsu before getting to his feet.

"Renkotsu, take everyone else and go back home. We'll meet you there," Suikotsu ordered.

"Hai," Renkotsu said before escorting his brothers out of the room, leaving Suikotsu, Jakotsu, and Bankotsu alone in the room with Taisho and his very pissed off son.

Taisho watched the door close behind the brothers before turning back to Suikotsu. "I believe I only asked for the two of them to stay," Taisho growled out to scare Suikotsu, but he didn't move.

"I will not leave my brothers behind," Suikotsu stated and Taisho smirked.

"Very well. First of all, I know that you are not the leader of this group you have put together," Taisho said addressing Suikotsu before turning to Bankotsu. "You are, am I right?"

"Y-yes sir," Bankotsu said softly.

"Well none of you know what you got yourself into, do you?" Taisho said with a smirk as he leaned back in his chair.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Jakotsu asked.

"I'm guessing that you did research on Naraku, correct?" Taisho asked.

"Yes, but we didn't come up with much," Suikotsu said. "All I learned was that he owned a large business."

"He's a hanyou that was created by the greed of a man named Onigumo. He is a man made up of several different youkai and ningens. In other words, he's like a huge biology experiment. The real reason he hired you is to test how strong you really are. If you are to his standards…he will absorb you into his body to make himself stronger," Taisho explained and Jakotsu, Bankotsu, and Suikotsu's eyes widened in disgust and horror.

"Eww! That is sick!" Jakotsu squealed like a little girl.

"But why would he want us to target you?" Suikotsu asked.

"Because I'm his company's biggest competition, of course," Taisho said proudly.

"Well what do we do now?" Suikotsu asked with surprise.

"Knowing Naraku he has already done his research on all of you so knows your every move," Taisho said. "If you help me put an end to Naraku, however…I can help you."

Suikotsu, Jakotsu, and Bankotsu looked at each other and nodded. "Deal," Suikotsu said.

"Very well. Sesshomaru, go with them and bring their brothers back here. They will be moving into the guest wing," Taisho said and Sesshomaru's jaw dropped.

"WHAT!" Sesshomaru exclaimed. "You're moving them in with us! Why don't you just put them up in some hotel?"

"Because Naraku can find them there," Taisho said. "Now go."

Sesshomaru growled angrily and stormed out the door with the three brothers trying to follow him. Taisho watched his new employees leave and once they were gone, his eyes flashed red. _You're not going to get away with this Naraku. Your head will be mine._


	10. Author's Note Sorry not an Update

Hi Everyone!

Sorry that I haven't updated in a very long time. Like I said before I am currently in Japan studying and right now I am at the end of my program so guess what I'm doing now? FINALS! So…sorry I haven't been working on my fanfic for awhile. I know you're all anxious to read what happens, but I've just been trying to do as much as possible here in Japan. So, please be patient and I will start writing it as soon as I get back home. 

Yuki


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